Display device for boxes



(No Moden).

J. H. sfmnlvrm. DISPLAY DEVICE PoR BOXES.

No. 576,481. I y Patentedeb.2.1891@- NITED STATES ArnN'r OFFICE.

.IOIIN I-I. STRATMAN, OF CAPE GIRARDEAU, MISSOURI.

DISPLAY DEVI CE FOR BOXES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 576,481, dated February 2, 189'?. Application led 311116 Z9, 1896. Serial No. 597,439. (No model.)

T0 @ZZ whom, t may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN H. STRATMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cape Girardeau, in the county of Cape Girardeau and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Display Devices for Boxes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to a display device for boxes or the like; and the objects of the device are, first, to provide a construction for displaying to view articles similar to the contents of the receptacle,wh ich construction provides for ready access to the interior of the receptacle aswell as serving as a closure for the receptacle, and, secondly, in the provision of an interior closure that operates to exclude foreign matter from falling upon the contents of the receptacle when the display device is opened.

Tith these ends in view my invention consists of a pivoted or hinged frame provided with a transparent front and a backing held in place by suitable locking contrivances, between which front and backing is a chamber or space designed to contain the article or articles to be displayed.

My invention further consists of a main frame, to which the pivoted or hinged displayframe is attached, combined with an interior closure,which is preferably embodied in two pieces slidably fitted in suitable guides or ways Within the main frame and below the display-frame 5 and the invention further consists in the novel combination and construction of parts,which will be hereinafter fully described and claimed. l

To enable others to understand my invention, I have illustrated the preferred embodiment thereof in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which Figure l is a perspective view of a part of a box with my invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on the plane indicated by the dotted line 2 2 of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view on the plane indicated by the dotted line 4 4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a plan View showing the display-frame in an inverted position and illustrating the interior closure Within the main frame.

Like letters of reference denote corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

In the drawings I have shown myinvention embodied as an attachment for boxes or other receptacles, in which the attachment comprises the main frame A, the display-frame B, and the slidable pieces O O', forming the interior closure, said display-frame B and i11- terior closure O O being attached or connected to the main frame A, so as to be carried thereby. In this embodiment of my invention the attachment is designed to be fastened to the box or other receptacle by any suitable form of fasteners, say the hooks and eyes a, engaging with the receptacle and the main frame A; but I would have it understood that I do not strictly confine myself to the use of a frame A to be attached to a receptacle, because it is evident that the receptacle may be constructed so as to embody the equivalent of the main frame A, therebymaking the latter an integral or indivisible part of the structure of the receptacle.

As shown, the attachable main frame A consists of the side rails a a. and the end rails a2 a2. These end rails are not as deep as the side rails a of the frame A, so that the top edges of the end rails a21ie below the top edges of the side rails, and said end rails chamfer on one end rail being reverse to the bevel on the other end rail, for a purpose to be explained.

The display-frame B is constructed to fit snugly within the part A, and said displayframe B has its end rails beveled or chamfered, as at b, to make the ends of the frame B fit snugly to or against the chamfered end rails a2 of the part A when the display-frame is turned to lie Within the part A, whereby the frame B is made to fit snug in the part A, so as to exclude dust, &c. The display-frame has one end pivoted or hinged eccentrically to the part A, as indicated at h', for the purpose of giving to the display-frame such range of movement, in exposing the internal closure C C, as to prevent the chamfered end rail a2 of part A adjacent to the hinged end of the frame from interfering with the d2 are beveled or ehamfered, as at a3, theA ICO opening or the closing movement of the display-frame.

The display-frameB is in the form of an open frame, composed of side and end rails, and said frame is provided at its front side with anges or ribs forming the seats cl for a transparent top. D, the latter consisting of a pane of glass or other suitable material. A solid backing E is fitted within this displayframc in a way to leave a space or chamber F between the backing and theq transparent top D, in which space F is adapted to be placed the articles to be displayed.

The device may be used advantageously in displaying fancy crackers or cakes, but I do not limit the use of my device to this particular purpose. f

It is necessary that provision be made for securely holding the back E in position within the main frame, and that the fastening means shall permit of the ready removal of the backing Ein order that access may be had to the space F for the purpose of changing the articles to be displayed by the frame B. One way of attaining these objects is shown in the drawings, in which the sides of the frame l are provided with grooves or kerfs c f, the grooves e beinginclined in reverse directions to the grooves f, and in these grooves are fitted the ends of the retaining strips or bars G G', which are forced against the backing and which assume such positions in the kerfs as to wedge themselves in the kerfs and be thereby held in place. It is evident that the wedge-strips may be withdrawn to permit the backing E to be removed, after which the articles to be displayed may be placed on the pane D, the backing E replaced, and the wedge-strips G G adjusted in the kerfs to hold the backing E so firmly against the articles displayed as to prevent them from shifting around in the space F, thus obviating the liability of breaking up the articles displayed when the display-frame B is lifted and lowered.

The members C C of the internal closure are fitted in ways or guides g g on or in the end rails a2 of the part A below the bevels on said end. rails, and the Vguides g are arranged below and parallel to the other guideway g. This arrangement of guides enables one member of the closure to slide over the other member of said closure, and said members C C are adapted, when spread, to have their outer edges fit close up to the side rails of the part A, while the inner edges of said closure lap one another, whereby the closure is adapted to exclude dust and foreign substances from entering the box or receptacle. The members of the closure have finger-holes to enable the operator to slide one member below (or above) the other member when it is desired to have access to the interior of the box or receptacle.

It is thought that the operation and advantages of my improved display device will be readily understood by those skilled in the art from the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings.

I am aware that changes in the form and proportion of parts and in the details of construction of the device herein shown and described as the preferred embodiment of my invention may be made by a skilled mechanic without depart-in g from the spirit or sacrificing the advantages of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Lett-ers Patent, is

l. A display-frame, substantially such as described, providedpwith kerfs or grooves, a backing slidably fitted within said frame, and wedge-strips adapted to said kerfs or grooves, and to bind against the slidable backing as set forth.

2. The combination of the part A provided with guideways arranged one below the other, the sectional closure C, C fitted in said guideways to slide one below the other, and a display-frame hinged or pivoted to the part A, as and for the purposes described.

3. A display-frame having the kerfs or grooves arranged in inclined positions relatively to a transparent panel, a backing fitted in said frame, and binding-strips slidably fitted in said inclined kerfs or grooves to wedge themselves therein and bearing against the backing to confine it in place, as and for the purposes described.

4. The combination of a part A provided on the inner faces of its walls with the bevels a3, a hinged box-like display-frame having the external exposed faces of its end rails beveled coincidently with said part A and adapted to fit snugly within the same to form tight joints between said parts, and said frame having the inclined kerfs formed on its inner edges, a transparent panel carried by said display-frame outside of the kerfs, a backing in the display-frame, and binding-strips slidably fitted in said kerfs of the display-frame and bearing against said backing, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses. v

JOHN II. S'IRATMAN.

Witnesses:

HERBERT BERTLING, JOHN J. Povvnus.

IOO 

